Joseph Rivani

Lancaster has taken the first step toward creating a 30-acre Joshua tree preserve on the city's west side by purchasing 22.5 acres from a developer for $1.1 million, city officials said Thursday. In coming months, the city plans to fence the land bought from developer Joseph Rivani. The city also hopes to install some parking and buy the remaining 7.5 acres from three other owners, city Parks Director Lyle Norton said.

The city of Lancaster, departing from common government practice, did not appraise 22.5 acres of land it purchased recently from an investor and ended up paying 45% more than he had paid three years ago. Lancaster officials contend they were not required to get an appraisal and even say the city got a good deal. But city critics have questioned the price, and officials at other government agencies said they believe state law almost always requires appraisals, in part to safeguard public funds.

The city of Lancaster, departing from common government practice, did not appraise 22.5 acres of land it purchased recently from an investor and ended up paying 45% more than he had paid three years ago. Lancaster officials contend they were not required to get an appraisal and even say the city got a good deal. But city critics have questioned the price, and officials at other government agencies said they believe state law almost always requires appraisals, in part to safeguard public funds.

Lancaster has taken the first step toward creating a 30-acre Joshua tree preserve on the city's west side by purchasing 22.5 acres from a developer for $1.1 million, city officials said Thursday. In coming months, the city plans to fence the land bought from developer Joseph Rivani. The city also hopes to install some parking and buy the remaining 7.5 acres from three other owners, city Parks Director Lyle Norton said.

Lancaster City Council members agreed Monday to buy a 20-acre vacant site on the city's east side for $750,000, with plans to encourage development there of a mobile home park for low- to moderate-income residents. Council members, sitting as the city's redevelopment agency, voted 4 to 0 to approve the purchase from I and 30th Street East Properties, a general partnership headed by Joseph Rivani. The site is at the southeast corner of 30th Street East and Avenue I. A $1.

A 22.5-acre parcel of land once considered a possible Joshua tree preserve has been given to the Lancaster redevelopment agency. The redevelopment agency is negotiating with a developer interested in buying some of the property. The agency voted to acquire the property from the city for $1.27 million. The city originally purchased the vacant land, without having it appraised, for $1.1 million in December, 1991, from Joseph Rivani, a land investor.

Lancaster officials who bought 22.5 acres of parkland for $1.1 million last December--paying 45% more than the seller had paid just three years earlier--say they felt no need to get an appraisal first. But at least one veteran appraiser believes the city made a big mistake and is saying so.

The Lancaster City Council appears to be backing off plans to use a 22 1/2-acre parcel of land on Avenue K as a Joshua tree preserve, the principal reason the council gave for buying the tract in 1991. While no formal announcement has been made, the city's Redevelopment Agency voted to allocate $1.27 million to acquire the tract from the city. The agency is negotiating with a developer interested in buying part of the tract.

Less than a year after spending $1.1 million to buy land from an embattled developer for a supposed Joshua tree preserve, Lancaster is having second thoughts about the plan and may unload the property, a top city official says. When Lancaster bought the 22.5-acre parcel last December without an appraisal, they paid developer Joseph Rivani 45% more than he had paid three years earlier.